Gianfranco Zola Stuns Fans with Ryder Cup Role Alongside Francesco Molinari
The Ryder Cup 2025 at Bethpage Black has delivered an unexpected surprise—football legend Gianfranco Zola has officially joined Team Europe’s camp. 👀⚽️🏌️
Eagle-eyed fans spotted the former Chelsea icon in the official team photo, and it’s now been revealed that Zola will be working alongside his close friend Francesco Molinari, serving as his buggy driver during the week. The Italian duo share a long-standing bond, dating back to Zola’s time managing West Ham United, and their partnership brings a unique football-meets-golf flavor to Europe’s Ryder Cup squad. 🇮🇹
Molinari, back as vice-captain alongside his brother Edoardo Molinari, praised Zola’s love for golf and compared the Ryder Cup pressure to football’s World Cup. With Zola’s experience under the brightest lights in sport, Team Europe gain not only a helper—but also a voice who knows exactly what it takes to thrive when the whole world is watching. 🌍🔥
Can Luke Donald’s team draw inspiration from Zola’s football greatness to pull off another Ryder Cup victory on U.S. soil? 🏆 Stay tuned for all the drama from Bethpage Black!
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The European Rder Cup camp is stacked at Beth Paige Black this week, but fans were quick to notice a surprise face in the team photo. None other than Premier League legend John Francozola. The former Chelsea icon has been handed a unique role within Luke Donald squad, teaming up with his fellow Italian, Francesco Molinari. At 59, Zolola won’t be swinging a club, but instead will be driving the buggy for Donald’s vice captain, ensuring Molinari has all the support he needs on the ground. Zola and Molinari’s bond runs deep. Forged back in 2009 when Molinari moved to London while Zola was managing West Ham United, a club Molinari still follows passionately to this day. He likes his golf. He started playing here in England when he played for Chelsea. Now he has a lot of free time and he is playing a lot more. Molinari once said of Zola. The Ryder Cup comparisons weren’t lost on them either. We have talked about playing in the Rder Cup and we made the comparison that the Ryder Cup is like playing in the World Cup for footballers. Molinari explained. We were talking about the pressure you feel and how you try to use it to your own advantage. It has been good to talk to someone else who has been in a similar position where the world will be watching you. For Malinari, this is familiar territory. 2 years after helping team Europe to victory on home soil in 2023, he is back on Donald’s staff once again joined by his brother Eduardo Molinari, who also returns as vice captain. It is a pleasure and honor to do the job with the team, especially with my brother, said the 2018 Open Champion earlier this month. It is definitely special. We were lucky to play our first one together. Who could have said when we were kids that we would be here right now? With football royalty now rubbing shoulders with golfing greats, team Europe’s camp at Beth Page Black has taken on an even more star-studded look.
